


Like the Stars

by scared_pottah



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Swearing, gay relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-14
Updated: 2019-04-14
Packaged: 2020-01-13 07:39:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18464464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scared_pottah/pseuds/scared_pottah
Summary: Draco Malfoy was named after the stars.





	Like the Stars

The first time he saw Draco Malfoy cry  
was in sixth year  
in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

He hasn't forgotten, not after the war and everything.  
It's doubtful Malfoy has either.

He remembers the sound of Malfoy's tears hitting the grimy sink,  
the reflection of two broken boys in the cracked mirror.  
He remembers the shouting, the cursing,  
and the deep scarlet of Malfoy's blood seeping into the rough tiles.

Blood.  
blood everywhere  
pouring from gashes created by his own hand

Snape rushing in  
and taking Malfoy away  
the guilt  
the pain  
sinking down low in the corner.

 

The second time he sees Draco Malfoy cry  
is in the same bathroom  
two years later  
after the war.

hunched over  
in the same corner Harry hid in  
after he hurt Malfoy  
it can't be forgiven

shoulders shaking.

 

Draco Malfoy was named after the stars.  
a source of hope through the darkest hours.

For some reason, they look dull tonight.  
Lifeless.  
They don't bring the hope  
the shining light in the darkness  
that was always there when all seemed to go wrong  
the hope for him to depend on  
the light he needed  
To keep going.

Draco Malfoy feels empty.  
Like the stars.

 

When the jeering  
taunting  
and stinging pain grow too much,  
he retreats, a film of tears  
no, not tears. Malfoys don't cry  
hovering dangerously.  
but bloody Potter, the savior of the Wizarding World,  
follows him  
so Draco asks him politely to _fuck off_  
but the prick just tells him _no you're crying and I'm not leaving until it's-you're- okay._  
Draco says that in that case he'd better move in because it will never _never never be okay again._  
and Potter just smiles

 

when Draco leaves the castle  
and heads for his tranquil spot by the lake,  
there is already someone there.

Potter, sitting wind-whipped and frayed, huddles there with a gleaming cloak pooled  
around his feet.

Draco freezes.

He could just turn around and leave, but then there would be taunting  
and cursing  
and pain  
and he would be reminded that he is just scum  
Death Eater scum

And this is the only place  
where he can let down his guard.  
so he slips in  
beside Potter  
quiet as the wind whispering through the trees.

Potter looks at him,  
startled  
but Draco keeps staring out over the moonwashed lake  
tasting the salty tears  
flecking his chapped lips.

and after a while,  
feels the comforting warmth of Potter's hand  
slip over his.

Tonight  
Harry needs somewhere to escape to.  
Somewhere calm  
away from the awe  
the hatred  
disbelief  
and he especially hates the ones  
that look at him like they don't believe  
and don't know how to feel

so he finds a spot next to the lake  
in the bitter cold  
But frostbite  
is better than hundreds  
of staring eyes.

and he doesn't know how long he's been there  
when Malfoy sits down by his side.

He wants to move away  
but he needs this right now  
right here.

and he can see Malfoy's eyes gleaming bright with tears  
that he doesn't think are a trick of the moonlight

so he stays.  
And so does Draco.

 

they don't see each other often.  
a few stolen hours between classes  
but it's enough for Draco  
to stay.

 

in other times  
when he passes the others in the hallway  
the ones who used to be his friends  
their eyes burn with hatred for  
the Death Eater  
the murderer  
( _murderer murderer murderer)_  
the destroyer of dreams.  
but some pass by  
like they haven't seen him at all  
and that's what terrifies Draco the most  
being invisible.

 

Draco used to think  
the stars,  
separated so far from the planets,  
were lonely  
but at least  
they had each other.

now he knows that they are millions and millions of miles apart  
and maybe  
just maybe

Draco Malfoy is alone too.

 

He doesn't see Draco in the morning.  
so he stays with Ron and Hermione  
who have changed.

Ron is furious with the war  
that took away his brother  
that tore apart  
and put back together  
his family  
with one piece missing  
and he is a little broken too.

Hermione is crumbling  
still standing tall  
and proud  
but her parents still don't know they have a daughter  
and she thinks that if they can be happy without her  
then maybe she isn't important after all.

 

and when he sees Draco Malfoy cry for the second time  
he is frozen.  
the one who always had it all together  
always there,  
with a sarcastic comment to cap it off.  
sobbing in an abandoned bathroom

so he sits beside Malfoy  
puts an arm around his shoulders  
and feels him flinch under Harry's touch.  
but he stays.

Slowly

they are reclaiming lost time.

second by second

minute by minute

hour by hour

day after day

lifetime after lifetime  
the ex-Death Eater and the Saviour.  
but no one disagrees because  
they make each other so happy.

and one day, Harry says  
I love you  
for the first time.

and Draco stops.  
looks at him

and smiles bright bright bright  
like the stars.


End file.
